Help with sanity during hair washing!

My 1 year old has a major meltdown during hair washing. He can be happily splashing away and playing with his toys in the bathtub but as soon as hair washing begins he completely freaks out and tries jumping out of the tub! He's fine with me lathering his hair with shampoo, it's the water pouring that's the problem. He also loves having his hair/scalp brushed and doesn't seem to mind the blow dryer. It's just the water being poured over his head that he hates.

Help! What can I do to help make hairwashing a calm experience? He won't wear a visor or anything on his head. He'll rip it off. Anyone experience this with their dc?

Re: Help with sanity during hair washing!

Would he hold a washcloth over his face? My DS was the same way. Finally if he held a washcloth it wasn't too bad then we'd get a dry cloth after and wipe his eyes immediately. Can you take the nozzle off and do it manually so you have more control?

Help with sanity during hair washing!

what do you rinse with?

I cover dd's eyes with my hand and use a cup. If I do get her eyes wet I grab a towel and she dries them.

Re: Help with sanity during hair washing!

My DS was the same way and still is - he is 6.

We use a washcloth to cover his face and used a rinse cup like this with him looking all the way up


We have a hand held nozzle in the shower now, I have him tilt his head all the way back and use my hand to block the water from dripping in his face.

Re: Help with sanity during hair washing!

Both of my kids were that way. They outgrow it pretty quickly. Just keep going and try to keep the water out of their face. As the baby gets older, it's easier to say "look up" to get them to tilt their heads back. I use one of those cups like pictured above with a soft spout, too. It helps.

Help with sanity during hair washing!

I use a cup that is squishy so it sits flat against his head and I have him hold his head all the way back so the water doesn't hit his face at all

Re: Help with sanity during hair washing!

We use just a regular big cup to rinse this hair, or a wet washcloth to wipe and rinse his hair but that takes forever... sometimes we use the handheld shower nozzle. So far nothing works. I haven't tried covering his eyes with a washcloth, will try that next. But the kid is a fighter so he swats away anything you put near him lol. I will buy one of those cups specially made to form fit his forehead, but I envision that battle with him putting up a fight to smack it away too lol. Ugh! I need a bottle of wine after bath time since he works himself up so much screaming and has even made himself vomit.

Help with sanity during hair washing!

I just make sure it's the very last thing I do, rinse and pull them right out of bath into the towel to dry lol. Doesn't give them long enough to flip out and yes they do grow out of it.

Re: Help with sanity during hair washing!

Distract to look up with a toy. Other hand pour the water